An outstanding 4th line performance and Lindgren’s first win with the Capitals

On October 24th, 2022, the Washington Capitals faced off against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center, where they were able to secure their sixth straight win in New Jersey. The Capitals are currently 14-2-1 at the Prudential Center.

Nate Bastian tallied the first goal of the game for the Devils off a rebound, 4:49 into the first. 

At the 10:49 mark the Capitals tied the game. A beautiful pass from Beck Malenstyn to Nic Dowd, who was sitting right next to the goal post allowed Washington to tally their first goal of the game. This also marked Malenstyn’s first NHL assist as he made his NHL debut that night. 

At 9:16 of the second, the Capitals fourth line (Malenstyn, Dowd, Hathaway) scored again, giving Washington their first lead of the night. Garnet Hathway stole the puck out of the air with his hand before firing a gorgeous hit to the back of the net. 

At 9:43 of the second the Devils secured a power play off a tripping call on Malenstyn. However, a bad turnover on the power play allowed Connor Sheary to slot a short-handed one into the back of the net, making it 3-1 in favor of the Capitals. 

With 2:46 left in the second period, Alex Ovechkin added to the fun, making it 4-1 off a power play. A slapshot from his office in the left circle tallied Ovechkin’s 783rd goal, 287th power play goal of his career. This goal was also Ovechkin’s 122nd game winning goal, giving him the second highest number of game winners in NHL history. A beautiful goal and a truly historic moment for the Great 8. 

Before the second period would come to a close, Nick Jensen ensured a strong lead with the Capitals’ fifth goal of the night. 

Going into the third period, the momentum began to slow for the Capitals. New Jersey’s Tomas Totar put a second goal on the board at 4:08 into the third. Then at 11:06 in the third, Jesper Bratt deftly slid another one in for the Devils, making it 5-3. 

With just 3:49 left in the third, Alexei Protas reinstated the three goal lead for the Capitals, making it 6-3. 

The biggest stars from Monday night’s game were Charles Lindgren with 37 saves and his first win with the Washington Capitals, the 4th line (Malenstyn, Dowd, and Hathaway) with 2 goals and 2 assists, and Ovechkin with his 783rd goal. Stepping in for an injured Connor Brown, Malenstyn definitely impressed in his NHL debut with the Capitals. 

The explosive energy the Capitals had in the second period of this game was truly impressive, and should they maintain that chemistry and skill, 2022-23 could be an exciting season for Washington. Currently ranked fourth in the Metropolitan division, it’ll be interesting to see if the Capitals can secure a playoff run.